Maddie Meyer/Getty The two most important aspects of building a successful football team are to find a franchise quarterback and to manager the team's salary cap.

Because of how the NFL's quirky salary-cap system works, large contracts often come with large signing bonuses. The result is that the highest-paid players fluctuate from year to year, and it tends to favor those who signed deals recently.

For 15 teams, their highest-paid player is a quarterback. The rest of the players who top their team's payroll includes six defensive linemen, five offensive linemen, two cornerbacks, two linebackers, one safety, and one running back.

Here are the 32 players who will make the most money on their respective teams this season.

27. Kelechi Osemele, Oakland Raiders — $13,200,000

2016 earnings breakdown: $6.7 million salary and $6.5 million in bonuses.

One thing to know: Osemele signed a 5-year, $58.5 million contract with the Raiders as a free agent this past offseason. His earnings will drop next season to $6.7 million.

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26. Ndamukong Suh, Miami Dolphins — $13,500,000

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Position: Defensive tackle

2016 earnings breakdown: $3.5 million salary, $10.0 million signing.

One thing to know: Suh takes up just $12.6 million of the team's salary cap space this season. However, that number jumps to $19.1 million next season and $26.1 million the year after. It is more likely that he will restructure his contract before then.

24. Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings — $15,278,000

One thing to know: Adrian Peterson, who will miss most of the season with a knee injury is second on the list at $12.0 million.

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23. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons — $15,750,000

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Position: Quarterback

2016 earnings breakdown: $15.75 million salary

One thing to know: Ryan is in the third year of his five-year, $104 million extension. His $23.8 million salary cap figure will remain the same next year, before falling to $21.7 million in the final year of the deal.

18. Malik Jackson, Jacksonville Jaguars — $18,000,000

One thing to know: Jackson just sneaks into the list this year with a $10.0 million signing bonus. His total earnings in Year 2 of his 6-year, $85.5 million contract will fall to $13.5 million.

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17. David DeCastro, Pittsburgh Steelers — $18,100,000

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Position: Guard

2016 earnings breakdown: $2.1 million salary, $16.0 million bonus

One thing to know: DeCastro was originally scheduled to make $8.1 million this season, the final year of his rookie contract. Instead he signed a 5-year, $50 million contract extension, just three months after responding to a question about his future by saying, "I'm making a lot of money this year. What am I worried about?"

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16. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams — $18,968,308

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Position: Quarterback

2016 earnings breakdown: $450,000 salary, $18.5 million signing bonus

One thing to know: The gave up six draft picks for the right to draft Goff, including their first-round pick next season. Based on how the Rams played in Week 1, that could be a top-3 pick.

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15. Cordy Glenn, Buffalo Bills — $19,000,000

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Position: Left Tackle

2016 earnings breakdown: $3.0 million salary, $16.0 million bonus

One thing to know: Glenn makes the list this year thanks to his new $60.0 million contract and $16.0 million signing bonus. His total earnings next year will fall to $11.0 million.

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14. Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins — $19,953,000

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Position: Quarterback

2016 earnings breakdown: $19.95 million salary

One thing to know: Cousins received the franchise tag from the Redskins, giving him a 1-year, $19.95 million contract with no bonuses. That base salary is the largest in the NFL this season. If he receives the franchise tag again next year, his salary is expected to jump to something in the neighborhood of $24.0 million.

11. Brock Osweiler, Houston Texans — $21,000,000

One thing to know: Osweiler had started just seven games in his four-year career before signing a 4-year, $72.0 million contract as a free agent with the Houston Texans

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9t. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers — $22,000,000

Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Position: Quarterback

2016 earnings breakdown: $10.5 million salary, $5.5 million signing bonus, and $6.0 million in other bonuses.

One thing to know: Rivers has already made $173.9 million in his career and still has $45.0 million left on his 4-year, $83.3 million contract.

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9t. Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets — $22,000,000

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Position: Defensive End

2016 earnings breakdown: $7.0 million salary, $15.0 million bonus

One thing to know: Wilkerson's $86.0 million contract is second only to J.J. Watt among defensive ends.

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8. Justin Houston, Kansas City Chiefs — $23,500,000

Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images

Position: Outside Linebacker

2016 earnings breakdown: $7.4 million salary, $8.5 million signing bonus. and $7.6 million in other bonuses.

One thing to know: In a perfect example of how quickly large contracts change, Houston signed a 6-year, $101.0 million contract prior to the 2015 season and then had that deal restructured prior to the 2016 season.

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7. Von Miller, Denver Broncos — $25,100,000

David Zalubowski/AP

Position: Outside Linebacker

2016 earnings breakdown: $2.0 million salary, $17.0 million signing bonus, and $6.1 million other bonuses.

One thing to know: Miller signed a 6-year, $114.5 million contract just months after being named the Super Bowl MVP. The total value surpasses Ndamukong Suh's deal as the largest among defensive players.

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6. Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles — $27,299,000

One thing to know: Cox makes this list thanks to his huge $26.0 million signing bonus. Next year, his earnings drop to $4.2 million, before going back up to $12.7 million in 2018. With his contract counting $22.0 million against the cap in 2019, look for Cox to rework his contract in the next two years.

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints — $31,250,000

One thing to know: Brees was in the last year of his contract and was set to take up an enormous $30 million in salary cap space. He recently extended his contract, lowering his salary-cap hit to $17.3 million, thanks to a $30 million signing bonus.

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